Apparatus for treating threads



Nov. 20, 1956 s. w. BARKER 2,771,180

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I3 lNl/E/VTODQ Swan W. BARKER BY 7%., 7M4?- Nov. 20, 1956 s. w, BARKER 2,771,180

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNl/ENTOR 5Y0 NE Y W 5A RKER gang ATTOR NE Y Nov. 20, 1956 s. w. BARKER 2,771,180

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1953- 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VE N TOR 530N157 W 5/! RKA'R ATTORNEY NOV. 20, 1956 s w, BARKER 2,771,180

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEX Nov. 20, 1956 s, w. BARKER 2,771,180

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1953 6 Shets-Sheet 5 qj Q Ln Ln v 9, 1 Q m I 6 "3 T 8 I I '6 I a "3 8 u m I II VVENmR SYDNEY W 5/1 RKER A T TORNE Y Nov. 20, 1956 s. w. BARKER 2,771,130

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREADS Filed July 7, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 :qm 1 I l j 2Q QQ Q2 x i 5 I (B \0 Q .L L-------- to :3

3% 3'3 6 mm o) n S l (a m m INVENTOR Sm/VEY W 5/1 RKER ATTORNEY ArrAnArUs non TREATING rnnEAns Sydney W. Barker, Colne, England, assignor to Lustratil Limited, Nelson, England, a British company Application July 7, 1953, Serial No. 366,598

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 9, 1952 23 Claims. (Cl. 203-65) This invention relates to thread-treating apparatus of the kind comprising a pair of mutually inclined threadstoring, thread-advancing rollers on which the thread is laid in a succession of loops whereby, in the course of its traverse of the rollers, the thread may be subjected to treatments such as stretching, impregnation or coating with liquids, drying or the like.

It is well-known to use for this purpose a pair of mutually inclined rollers rotating in the same direction along which the thread advances in a succession of helicoidal loops passing around the two rollers.

It has also been proposed to rotate the two rollers in opposite directions and to cause the threads to follow a series of figure-8 loops, the advantages of such an arrangement being that the loops may be spaced closer together without risk of entanglement and the rollers can be disposed closer together to economize in space. This arrangement, however, has the disadvantage that initially, or after a break, the thread must be laid by hand in the path it is to follow and therefore is only practicable in the case of short rollers supported cantilever fashion at one end only so that the rollers are free at one end to facilitate the laying of the thread therearound in figure-8 loops by an operator.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective means whereby initially, or after a break, a thread may be laid in figure-8 loops along a pair of rollers of any desired length and supported at one or both ends.

According to the present invention, thread-treating apparatus wherein thread is laid in figure-8 loops on a pair of mutually inclined thread-storing, thread-advancing rollers, comprises a shuttle and means on said rollers at or near the discharge end thereof for alternately engaging and disengaging said shuttle in such manner that the shuttle is positioned on and carried round alternately on one roller and then on the other, and is transferred from one roller to the other as it passes between the rollers.

In operation of the improved means according to the invention, the end of the oncoming thread is attached to the shuttle while the latter is in a convenient position on, for example, the upper roller and at or adjacent the discharge end thereof, and on rotation of the roller the thread is carried round until the shuttle reaches the lowermost point of the upper roller, whereupon it is automatically transferred to the lower roller which is rotating in the opposite direction and carries the thread round that roller until it is once more transferred to the upper roller. By the time the shuttle reaches its initial position on the upper roller the thread will have taken the form of an elongated figure-8 loop extending from near the inlet end of the rollers to near the discharge end, and as rotation continues the oncoming thread forms additional figure-d loops until eventually the whole length of the rollers is filled with loops of thread, the spacing between successive loops being determined by the relative inclination of the rollers. As soon as the required number of loops have been laid, the thread is detached from the shuttle and is led to a collector or to further treatment apparatus, it being understood that operation is then continuous, the thread advancing along the rollers infigure-S loopswhich remain constant in number and disposition and thus maintain a storage of thread which can be subjected to a desired treatment or treatments during its traverse of. the rollers.

The shuttle may be positioned on each roller by locating means of conical, wedge or other suitable formation which, while maintaining radial disposition of the shuttle with respect to the roller with which it is engaged, permits of angular engaging and disengaging movement of the shuttle in relation to the rollers in the transfer from one roller to the other.

In one form the shuttle may be releasably secured to the rollers by electromagnetic gripping means, such as electromagnets carried by the rollers and energised and de-energised by suitable actuating means, which may be, for example, a commutator or switch.

In another form the shuttle may be secured to the rollers by mechanically actuated gripping means or clutch devices. Each clutch device may comprise a springactuated lever normally holding the shuttle on the respective roller by inwardly directed pressure and operated by actuating means comprising a cam-actuated device to release the shuttle for transfer from one roller to the other. For example, each lever may be provided with a cam plate engageable by cam-actuated roller means disposed between the axes of the thread-storing rollers. Alternatively, the gripping means may be actuated by cam plates or the like carried by an endless chain traversing between the axes of the thread-storing rollers and driven at a suitable speed in relation thereto.

Various ways of carrying the invention into effect will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying generally schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1A is a diagrammatic representation of two mutually inclined rollers showing how the thread is started on the rollers;

Figure 1B is a diagrammatic representation similar to Figure 1A but on a smaller scale and showing the formation of the figure-8 loops after a few rotations of the rollers;

Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of the shuttlecarrying ends of the rollers of Figure 1 illustrating an electromagnetic shuttle operating mechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a developed diagram of the commutator in,

Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a mechanical shuttle operating mechanism;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view in the direction of the arrow VII in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing an alternative mechanical shuttle operating mechanism;

Figure 9 is a view on the arrow IX of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a view simlar to Figure 8 showing a combined electromagnetic and mechanical shuttle operating mechanism.

Referring first to Figures 1A and 1B, a pair of rollers 1, 2 are mounted on mutually inclined axes X-X and Y-Y respectively. The inclination of these axes is shown exaggerated for illustrative purposes only. A shuttle 3 is shown mounted on the roller 1 near the thread discharge end and has one end of the thread 4 attached thereto. The thread 4 is first passed through a guide 5 and attached to the shuttle 3 when in its transfer position (shown dotted at 3 in Figure 1A) in the gap between the rollers 1, 2 and the latter are started rotating at equal Patented Nov. 20, 1956 peripheral speeds but in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows R.

In Figure 1A it is assumed that the shuttle 3 is first gripped by the roller 1, so that after the first half revolution, the thread lies as shown in full lines. When the shuttle 3 returns to its transfer position 3' after one revolution, the thread is wrapped around the roller 1 as shown in broken lines 4a. The shuttle is now released from the roller 1 and gripped by the roller 2 for the next revolution, the thread being wrapped around the latter in a lay or bight.

Figure 1B shows the arrangement of thread loops 6 after 6% revolutions of the rollers, the loops becoming more closely spaced with each successive revolution until a limiting value of loop pitch is reached which is determined by the mutual inclination of the roller axes XX and Y--Y. At each passage of the shuttle 3 through the transfer gap A, it is released from one roller and trans ferred to the other.

Figure 2 illustrates in more detail a purely electromagnetic arrangement for transferring and holding the shuttle 3. Each roller 1, 2 is of non-magnetic material and carries a respective electromagnet assembly 7, 8 which is located in a recess, shown at 9 in Figure 3, at the thread discharge end of the roller. Each electromagnet has an E-shaped core 10 Whose central limb 11 projects slightly beyond the surface of the respective roller 1, 2 and is of shallow V-shaped section at its tip in order to help locate or position the shuttle 3 thereon. This limb constitutes one pole of the electromagnet, the other poles being located on the in-turned ends of the other limbs of the E-shaped core 10. On either side of the central pole 11 of each magnet are located the two halves of an energizing winding 13. The shuttle 3 has at least its outer ends 3a of magnetic material, their end surfaces being correspondingly shaped to fit the V-shaped section of the central poles 11 (see Figure 3). The parts are preferably so dimensioned as to ensure a slight working clearance between one or the other end 3:: of the shuttle 3 and the adjacent central pole 11 of the electromagnet as the shuttle 3 passes through the plane containing the axes XX and YY of the rollers 1, 2.

As shown in Figure 3, the electromagnets 7, 8 are locked in the recesses 9 in their respective rollers by means of non-magnetic keep-plates 14 which are recessed into the circumferential surfaces of the rollers and bridge the recesses 9 on either side of the respective central poles 11. Clearly, however, any other convenient form of locating and securing the magnet assemblies 7, 8 in the respective rollers may be adopted according to preference.

Each roller 1, 2 carries on its end face adjacent the electromagnet assemblies 7, 8 a pair of insulated slip rings indicated (in section in Figure 2) at 15, 16 and 17, 18 respectively. The rings 15, 16 are connected to the winding 13 of the electromagnet 7 whilst the rings 17, 18 are connected to the Winding 13 of the electromagnet 8. Each slip ring 18 is engaged by respective contact brushes 19, 20, 21 and 22, these brushes being mounted in respective holders 23 carried in brackets 24 mounted on a frame member 25. This frame member carries the bearings 26 for the shafts 27 of the rollers 1, 2.

In Figure 2 contact brushes and 22 are connected directly to, say, the positive pole of a D. C. supply for energizing the electromagnets 7, 8. The other brushes 19, 21 are connected respectively to brushes 28, 29 which engage appropriate halves of the peripheries of a pair of commutator rings 30, 31 which are mounted on a shaft 32 carried in the frame member 25. The other halves of the peripheries of the two commutator rings are engaged by brushes 33 which are connected together and to the negative pole of the D. C. supply.

The shaft 32 has secured thereon a gear-wheel 34 meshing with another gear-wheel 35 which is secured on 4 the shaft 27 of the roller 1. The gear-wheel 34 is twice the diameter of the gear-wheel 35 so that the commutator shaft 32 rotates at half roller speed.

Each commutator ring 3% 31 has that portion of its periphery engaged by the brushes 28, 29 respectively recessed for approximately half its circumferential length to accommodate an insulating segment indicated at 36, 37 respectively, so that a circuit is only completed between the negative pole of the supply and each brush 28 or 29 through its respective commutator ring 30, 31 for approximately half of each revolution of the latter. The

' arrangement of the insulated segments 36, 37 is more clearly indicated in the developed diagram of Figure 4 which also illustrates schematically the external circuit connections.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 it will be noted that there is a slight overlap indicated at s between the respective conducting paths through the commutating rings 30, 31. The parts are so arranged that this slight overlap occurs as the shuttle 3 passes through the plane containing the axes XX and YY of the two rollers, so that for a brief portion of its travel the shuttle is attracted to both magnets 7, 8 simultaneously. This overlap may not be necessary in all cases, and in some instances it may be preferable to provide for an overlap between the insulating segments 36, 37. The purpose of providing an overlap, however, is to take account of the timelag required for the build-up (or decay) of the flux in the magnets 7, 8.

In operation, and assuming that the shuttle 3 is momentarily in the position shown in Figure l, the electromagnet '7 is energized through the slip rings 15, 16, brush cs 19, 23, the brush 28, the conducting surface of the slip ring 39, and the brush 33 which is in permanent electrical contact therewith. The circuit to the electromagnet 8 is, however, broken at the brush 29 which is in contact with the insulating segment 37 on the slip ring 31. The shuttle 3 is accordingly held securely against the central pole 11 of the electromagnet 7 and is carried round by the roller 1, drawing the thread 4 over this rollers surface.

As the shuttle 3 approaches the gap A, the commutator 30, 31 is rotated until the insulating segment 37 is moved away from the brush 29 so that the latter makes contact with the continuous conducting portion of the slip ring 31. The circuit to the electromagnet 8 is now completed and the flux builds up in the core 10 thereof. The shutdo 3 tends to be attracted to the central limb 11 of this magnet. Almost immediately afterwards, the circuit to the electromagnet 7 is broken as the advancing commutator ring 34) carries its insulating segment 36 beneath the brush 28. The flux in the core 10 of the electromagnet 7 thus decays and the shuttle 3 is transferred to the roller 2.

The chamfering of the poles 11 and the co-acting ends 3a of the shuttle 3 serves the dual purpose of facilitating positive radial location of the shuttle on the roller and smooth inter-engagement between the shuttle and the pole 11. Although it has been shown in the drawings that the central poles 11 are ridged whilst the shuttle ends 3a having their outward-facing edges generally wedge-shaped,

as shown in Figure 6. These edges engage correspondiugly shaped recesses 9a in the thread-discharge ends of the rollers 1, 2 and have their extremities rounded as at 3b in Figure 6. The mouths of the recesses 9a are cham fered or rounded as shown at 9b in the same figure to facilitate smooth engagement of the shuttle 3 therein.

The end face of each roller 1, 2 carries a pivoted lever 38, 39 respectively, the free ends 38a, 39a of the one limbs of the levers being bent over to provide shuttle engaging portions. These levers grip the shuttle 3 under the influence of loading springs 40. The other arm 38b, 39b respectively of each lever extends normally in a direction substantially parallel to the associated roller axis XX or Y-Y and carries a curved shoe 41, 42 respectively. Each shoe is engageable by a coacting roller 43 or 44 mounted on the ends of a yokepiece 45 on a lever 46. When the roller 43 or 44 makes contact with its shoe 41 or 42, the appropriate lever 38 or 39 is swung about its pivot to release the shuttle 3.

The change-over of the shuttle from one roller to the other is controlled by a two-part cam 47 having a lobe 48 Which subtends substantially 180 at the centre. This cam 47 engages a roller 49 on the lever 46, contact being maintained by a tension spring 50 acting on the lever 46. The cam 47 is driven at half roller speed and is so arranged that, when (as shown in Figure 7) the shuttle 3 is to be transferred from the roller 2 to the roller 1, the roller 49 on the lever 46 begins to run otf the lobe 48 onto the back of the cam, thus moving the said lever downwards (Figure 7) to withdraw the cam roller 43 from the path of the shoe 41 so that the lever 38 grips the shuttle 3. Simultaneously, the roller 44 is brought into engagement with the shoe 42 so that the lever 39 is tilted to release the shuttle. The parts remain thus engaged for sufficient length of arc of travel of the shuttle 3 to ensure that its one limb 3a has moved out of the path of the arm 39a of the lever 39 before the shoe 42 on this lever disengages from the roller 44 on the yokepiece 45. The shuttle 3 is thus securely held on the circumference of the roller 1 for the next revolution thereof.

When the shuttle 3 again passes through the gap A between the rollers 1, 2 the lobe 48 on the cam 47 begins to engage the roller 49 so as to lift the yokepiece 45 and cause the roller 43 to engage the shoe 41 on the lever 38. At the same time, the roller 44 is progressively moved out of engagement with the shoe 42 on the lever 39, engagement of these parts having been effected sufiiciently soon to tilt the lever 39 before the corresponding limb 3a of the shuttle is carried round by the roller 1 to a position in which it can be engaged by the arm 39a. The swinging of the yoke 45 by the cam 48 thus allows the arm 39a to grip the shuttle at the same time as the arm 38a of the lever 38 releases it so that the shuttle 3 is thereby transferred from the roller 1 to the roller 2. This alternate sequence of operations continues until sufiicient numbers of loops have been laid on the rollers 1, 2.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative arrangement for mechanical operation of the shuttle. In this arrangement, the shuttle 3 has its end limbs 30 substantially collinear but having their surfaces which face towards the thread-discharge ends of the rollers chamfered as shown at 3c and adapted to be located in recesses 9a in the ends of the rollers 1, 2. The inner end walls 90 of these recesses constitute abutments for the shuttle ends 3a against the thrust exerted lengthwise of the recesses 90 by the correspondingly chamfered ends 38c, 39-0 of spring loaded locking levers 38, 39 respectively. The levers 38, 39 are pivoted at 51 to the respective thread-storing rollers 1, 2 by means of leaf springs 40 which bias the levers 38, 39 into the shuttle-engaging position, as indicated by the lever 38 in Figure 8.

Each lever 38, 39 carries a respective cam pad 41', 42 located outwards of its pivot 51, the said pads facing inwards and being adapted to be engaged by actuating cam plates 52, 53 respectively. The cam plates are carried on an endless chain 54 and are oppositely directed and spaced apart lengthwise of the chain so as to effect alternate tilting of the levers 38, 39 from and to their respective shuttle-engaging positions. The chain 54 passes G round four sprockets 55, a convenient one of which is driven from one of the roller shafts whilst another may be resiliently mounted to retain the appropriate tension in the chain 54.

As shown in Figure 9, the chain 54 carries four pairs of cam plates 52, 53 52c, 530, the order in which the plates of any one pair pass through the gap A between the rollers 1, 2 being reversed with respect to that of the plates of either adjacent pair. In the arrangement shown in Figures 8 and 9, the chain 54 is driven at such a speed that successive pairs of plates 52, 53 pass through the gap A in synchronism with successive passages of the shuttle 3 therethrough.

In the operation of this arrangement, and as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the shuttle 3 has been carried round on the roller 1 into the gap A by virtue of its being gripped by the lever 38. As the shuttle enters the gap A, the cam plate 53 on the chain 54 engages the pad 42 and tilts the lever 39 sufiiciently to allow the adjacent end 3a of the shuttle freely to enter the recess 9a in the roller 2. With further rotation of the rollers 1, 2 the chain 54 also advances the cam plates 52, 53 so as to cause disengagement of the plate 53 from the pad 42 so that the lever 39 springs back to its shuttle locking position and immediately thereafter the cam plate 52 engages the pad 41 to tilt the lever 38 to its shuttle disengaging position. The lever 38 remains in this position until the shuttle 3 has passed beyond the point at which release of the lever 38 will cause it to be gripped thereby. The shuttle is thus transferred from the roller 1 to the roller 2 in similar manner to that already described with respect to the preceding figures.

On its next passage through the gap A, the shuttle is re-transferred to the roller 1 by virtue of the operation of the levers 38, 39 in the reverse order by the succeeding pair of cam plates 52a, 53a, and so on.

Figure 10 illustrates a combined electromagnetic and mechanical system for operating the shuttle transfer. In these figures, the shuttle 3 is shaped similarly to that shown in Figures 8 and 9 and is gripped by complementarily shaped blocks 56, 57 which slide in the recesses 9:: on the rollers 1, 2 respectively. The blocks 56, 57 are mounted on rods 58 which constitute extensions of the armatures of solenoids 59, 60 mounted respectively on the rollers 1 2. Tension springs 61 attached to the opposite ends of the armatures from the blocks 56, 57 tend to hold them in the shuttle disengaging positions, as represented by the block 57 in the drawing. The solenoids 59, 60 when energized urge the blocks 56, 57 to the shuttle engaging position, represented in the drawing by the block 56.

The circuits of the solenoid windings are completed through slip rings 15, 16, 17 and 18 and a commutator assembly 36*, 31 (or equivalent change-over switch) in substantially the same way as indicated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. Further description of these circuits is accordingly not given here.

The operation of this arrangement is substantially similar to that shown in Figures 24 with the substitution of mechanical gripping of the shuttle 3 by means of the blocks "5, $7 in place of the purely magnetic attraction exerted, in the arrangement of Figures 24, by the electromagnets 7, 8, and further description is not though to be necessary.

It will be appreciated that there are numerous possible modifications of the several arrangements described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Thus, for example, the cam mechanisms for actuating the mechanical locking levers in the embodiments shown in Figures 5-9 may, if desired, be replaced by electromagnets energized through commutators similar to the commutator-s 30, 31 shown in Figures 2, 4 and 10. Alternatively, both electromagnetic attraction and mechanical locking arrangements may be used simultaneously for holding the shuttle 3 and transferring it from roller to roller.

The design of the shuttle 3 and the co-operating formations on the rollers 1, 2 for ensuring smooth interengagement and disengagement, together with positive stable location of the shuttle 3 on either roller, may be varied according to specific requirements.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for laying a thread in figure-8 loops around a pair of oppositely rotating rollers whose working surfaces are mutually inclined and provide means for storing and advancing thread thereon, comprising in com bination a shuttle-member to which the thread can be attached, said shuttle-member being capable of being carried on the periphery of said rotating rollers, each of said rollers having gripping means mounted thereon adjacent the point where the thread is discharged therefrom for releasably securing said shuttle-member thereto, and actuating means for controlling said gripping means to position and carry said shuttle-member on the surface of one of said rotating rollers and then on the other oppositely rotating roller and to transfer said shuttle-member from one roller to the other as it passes between said rollers.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said gripping means comprises an electromagnetically operated clutch, and said actuating means comprises a device for alternately energizing and de-energizing the said electromagnet associated with one roller in antiphase with respect to the electromagnet associated with the other roller.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said rollers are rotated at equal speeds of rotation for ensuring that K said gripping means pass between said rollers simultaneously, said actuating means being coordinated with the speed of rotation of said rollers to de-energize the electromagnet associated with the roller on which said shuttlemember is being carried and to energize the electromagnet on the other roller as said shuttle-member passes between said rollers thereby effecting transfer of said shuttlemember from said one roller to said other roller.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating means comprises dual electric circuits into which said electromagnets are connected and having switch means coordinated with said rollers for de-energizing the electromagnet associated with the roller on which said shuttle-member is being carried while energizing the electromagnet on the other roller as said shuttle-member passes between said rollers.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the rollerengaging portions of said shuttle-member are made of magnetic material, and said clutch comprises an electromagnet which when energized is capable of securely holding said shuttle-member on said roller.

6. Apparatus for automatically laying; a thread in figure-8 loops around a pair of oppositely rotating rollers whose working surfaces are mutually inclined and pro vide means for storing and advancing thread thereon, comprising in combination a shuttle-member to which one end of the thread can be attached, the roller-engaging portions of said shuttle-member being made of magnetic material, each of said rollers being provided adjacent the thread discharge end thereof with an electromagnet which when energized is capable of securely holding said shuttlemember on said roller, and actuating means for controlling said electromagnets to position and carry said shuttlemember on the surface of one of said rotating rollers and then on the other oppositely rotating roller and to transfer said shuttle-member from one roller to the other as it passes between said rollers.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating means comprises dual electric circuits into which said electromagnets are connected and having commutator means for energizing one of said circuits while de-energizing the other.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating means is coordinated with the speed of rotation of said rollers to tie-energize the electromagnet associated with the roller on which said shuttle-member is being carried and to energize the electromagnet on the other roller as said shuttle-member passes between said rollers on each successive revolution of said rollers, thereby effecting transfer of said shuttle-member from said one roller to said other roller after each revolution of said rollers.

9. Apparatus for the manufacture of thread comprising a pair of oppositelyrotating rollers whose working surfaces are mutually inclined and provide means for storing and advancing the thread in figure-8 loops around said rollers, a shuttle-member to which the thread can be attached, said shuttle-member being capable of being carried on the periphery of said rollers, each of said rollers having gripping means mounted thereon adjacent the thread discharge end thereof for releasably securing said shuttle-member thereto, and actuating means for controlling said gripping means to position and carry said shuttle member on the surface of one of said rotating rollers and then on the other oppositely rotating roller and to transfer said shuttle-member from one roller to the other as it passes between said rollers.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprises a mechanically operated clutch, said actuating means being adapted and arranged to effect engagement of the clutch on one roller with said shuttlemember and being coordinated with the speed of rotation of said rollers to disengage the clutch of said one roller while engaging the clutch on the other roller with said shuttle-member as the latter passes between said rollers thereby effecting transfer of said shuttle-member from one roller to the other.

11. Apparatus for automatically laying a thread in figure-8 loops around a pair of oppositely rotating rollers whose working surfaces are mutually inclined and provide means for storing and advancing thread thereon, comprising in combination a shuttle-member to which the thread can be attached, each of said rollers being provided adjacent the point where the thread is discharged therefrom with a clutching device comprising a lever-member pivotally mounted on its said roller and having a gripping arm normally biased for engagement with a portion of said shuttle-member in order to releasably secure the latter to the roller, and mechanical actuating means for controlling said clutching devices including cam-portions for actuating said lever-members, each of said levermembers having a second arm engageable with said carnportions of said actuating means, said camportions being movable into the path of said second arm as said leverrnember revolves with its said rotating roller, said actuating means being coordinated with the rotation of said rollers whereby the lever-member on the roller carrying said shuttle-member is disengaged from said shuttle-memher while the clutch on the other roller is brought into engagement with said shuttle-member as the latter passes between said rollers thereby effecting transfer of said shuttle-member from one roller to the other.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 which further includes spring means for biasing said lever-members into engagement with said shuttle-member, the said cam-portions of said actuating means comprising a pair of camplates carried on a chain, each of said cam-plates of said pair being adapted to actuate one of said lever-members, and means for carrying said chain into operative position between said rollers adjacent the paths of said leverrnembers for actuation thereof at the appropriate points in their respective cycles of operation.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said chain is an endless chain carrying a plurality of said pairs of cam-plates, said chain being carried on sprockets driven by one of said rollers, the cam-plates of each of said pairs being arranged in sequence along said chain and the order of sequence of the cam-plates in each pair being reversed with respect to those of adjacent pairs.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said rollers is provided with a recess for receiving a rollerengaging portion of said shuttle-member, said recess having mutually inclined surfaces disposed symmetrically about a plane containing the roller axis and tapering toward the base of said recess, the roller-engaging portions of said shuttle-member being correspondingly tapered to fit said recesses.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said rollers is provided with a recess for receiving a rollerengaging portion of said shuttle-member, said recess having mutually inclined surfaces disposed symmetrically about a plane containing the roller axis and tapering toward the base of said recess, the roller-engaging portions of said shuttle-member being correspondingly tapered to fit said recesses.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said camportions of said actuating means are mounted on a pivoted yoke-member adapted to move said cam-portions into and out of the paths of said lever-members as they revolve with their respective rollers, actuation of said yoke-member being controlled by a cylindrical cam driven at a predetermined speed with respect to the speed of rotation of said rollers to effect the transfer of said shuttlemember from one roller to the other at the desired points in the travel of said shuttle-member around said rollers.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprises an electromagnetically operated clutch having a mechanical gripping element which is movable relative to its roller for engagement with a portion of said shuttle-member and an electromagnet mounted on said roller for effecting engagement and disengagement of said gripping element with said shuttlemember.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gripping means comprises an electromagnetically opera-ted clutch having a mechanical gripping element which is movable relative to its said roller for engagement with a portion of said shuttle-member and an electromagnet mounted on said roller for effecting engagement and disengagement of said gripping element with said shuttlemember, said actuating means comprising dual electric circuits into which said electromagnets are connected and having switch means coordinated with said rollers for deenergizing the electromagnet associated with the roller on which said shuttle-member is being carried while energizing the electromagnet on the other roller as said shuttlemember passes between said rollers thereby efiecting transfer of said shuttle-member from one roller to the other.

19. Apparatus for automatically laying a thread in figure-8 loops around a pair of oppositely rotating rollers whose working surfaces are mutually inclined and provide means for storing and advancing thread thereon, comprising in combination a shuttle-member to which the thread can be attached, said shuttle-member being capable of being carried on the periphery of said rotating rollers, each of said rollers having mounted thereon adjacent the thread discharge end thereof an electromagnetically operated clutch comprising a mechanical gripping element which is slidable axially of its said roller for engagement with said shuttle-member and an electromagnet mounted on said roller for effecting such engagement for releasably securing said shuttle-member to said roller, and actuating means for controlling said electromagnetically operated clutch comprising dual electric circuits into which said electromagnets are connected and having switch means coordinated with said rollers for de-energizing the electromagnet associated with the roller on Which said shuttle-member is being carried while energizing the electromagnet on the other roller as said shuttle-member passes between said rollers thereby effecting transfer of said shuttle-member from one roller to the other; said shuttle-member being adapted for engagement by said gripping element adjacent its end portions, said end portions having their surfaces adjacent said gripping element inclined with respect to the working surface of the roller on which it is being secured, said gripping element having its shuttle-engaging end inclined to correspond with the inclined surface of said shuttlemember, each roller being provided with an abutment for supporting the adjacent end of said shuttle-member against the thrust of said gripping element.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein each roller is provided with an elongated recess extending axially of said roller, said recess constituting a guide for said gripping element and an end wall of said recess constituting said abutment for said shuttle-member.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the side walls of said recess are inclined inwardly towards the base thereof and said end portions of said shuttle-member being correspondingly inclined to facilitate interengagement of said shuttle-member in said recess as said rollers rotate.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said electromagnet for effecting engagement of said gripping element is a solenoid having a plunger to which said gripping element is secured.

23. The method of automatically laying a thread in figure-8 loops around a pair of oppositely rotating rollers for storing and advancing thread thereon, comprising the steps of: securing a shuttle-member to the surface of one of said rollers adjacent the point where the thread is discharged therefrom, attaching the thread to said shuttlemember, rotating said rollers simultaneously in opposite directions in order to carry said shuttle-member and thread around said one roller, releasing said shuttle-member from said one roller as it passes between said rollers and securing it to said other oppositely rotating roller so that said shuttle-member and thread are carried around said other roller, repeating the cycle of carrying said shuttle-member at least once around said one roller, automatically transferring it to said other roller and carrying it at least once around said other roller, over and over until the desired number of figure-8 loops of thread are wound around said rollers, and finally removing the thread from said shuttle-member and leading it to another thread-treating or thread-storing apparatus.

Alelio Nov. 10, 1953 Lowe Dec. 8, 1953 

